Europe Is Missing Its Moment

Douglas Rediker and Heidi Crebo-Rediker argue that Europe has long understood the economic and institutional reforms needed to strengthen the EU but has repeatedly deferred them due to domestic political constraints and a consensus based decision making system. They contend that a new geopolitical crisis now exposes the cost of Europe’s inaction. According to the authors, the EU’s limited steps so far are insufficient without deeper reforms to underpin collective defense and economic resilience.They emphasize that completing the capital markets union, finalizing the banking union, and establishing permanent common borrowing mechanisms are essential to mobilize capital and finance strategic investments. Rediker and Crebo-Rediker assert that without these structural changes, Europe can not fund defense, energy, and technological priorities or act as a credible global power. They warn that if Europe fails to seize this moment to implement substantive reforms, it risks being divided by external actors and losing strategic relevance on the global stage.